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After a year of soapmaking and a lot of lurking on this forum I decided it is about time to join
I'm a small batch, hobby soapmaker and my mom is my biggest "customer". I really enjoy formulating my own recipes and trying out new things. I've recently started using (plant-based) colorants, but I'm still figuring out how to make those nice designs that keep me awake at night browsing pictures in awe.. I don't even seem to be able to do the simpelest design! (well, technically I can do some designs, but it just never really looks the way I want)
I like to be in nature hiking and/or camping, so I like the idea of my soap being biodegradable. I've been trying to see how far I'll get using only EO's and plant-based colorants, but maybe one day I'll start using FO's and other colorants as well because they seem to open up so many new possibilities in soap! Until then I'm going to take it one step at a time..

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Hey dixiedragon!
Yes, I've noticed they're not very reliable.. I just came back from a holiday to find my perfect lavender alkanet soap had turned muddy pink.. ;-)
Can I aks you which usage rate you use to color soap with clays? Up until now I've only used french green and pink clays and found I needed to use a lot to get some color.. but maybe I should try to find a supplier for Australian or Brazilian clays in Europe. I've seen pictures and they look amazing!

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I think a suggested rate is 1tsp PPO (per pound oils). Which is about 500 grams.

I thought of 2 other options - beta carotene and charcoal. Both should be available with the vitamins, though you may have to look harder for the charcoal. Don't count on the soap to dissolve the gelatin capsule, BTW!

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Thank you for the tips dixiedragon! I might have a look at beta carotene I already ordered charcoal a few weeks ago, but haven't gotten around to using it yet..
Until now, I've had some good results with wheetgrass powder, cinnamon dispersed in oil and fresh orange peel. The orange peel got a bit of a speckled look, but I didn't mind it in the soap I was making (orange-almond). I used an annatto infusion not so long ago and the color is amazing, but i still have to see if it will keep behaving (haven't read much about annatto being unpredictable or misbehaving, so I'm hopeful!).

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Like you, I've been stalking the forum for a while and only started making my own soap at the end of last year - so almost a year in now! My biggest "customers" are all the people I know who are interested in trying my soaps. I don't sell. I also started with the idea of making them only "natural", so no FOs or micas or anything like that. Trying to keep it mostly plant-based is more difficult than I thought, but has been a good challenge and very rewarding. I think my favorite soaps are my salt soaps, but I live in a hot climate and generally have oily skin, so it's my particular jam.

Like you, I love to go camping and hiking and really wanted to get some soap I KNEW for sure would be easy on the environment. To this end I've done some research and it seems as though any soap, if it gets into bodies of water, will affect the water's ecosystem. Doesn't matter if it is plant-based, scented, unscented or whatever else is in it. This isn't because of the ingredients added so much as the issues with soap changing the pH of water and hence possibly doing damage to the ecosystem. This is just based off of basic Google searches and a few articles (none of which agree, btw) and my own rudimentary memories from doing my bachelor's degree in chemistry. This is why the highly conscientious packers will bathe with soap and water only if they are more than 100 ft from a body of water/not in an area that will carry the soap into a body of water. However, a really good trick is to make your own paper soap and take it with you. It minimizes the amount of soap you use and the paper dissolves leaving just as much soap as you need to do dish washing, laundry, or bathe. You can do this with shampoo (possibly conditioner) as well.

Good luck and if anyone has more to say about soap and the environment, please post a thread and let me know!

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So cool to hear that you're having such a similar soaping journey! I know, it's a bummer that the idillic picture of showering under a waterfall will probably never be possible without wrecking the ecosystem.. From what I've read, the microbes that biodegrade soap are only found in soil and not in water, so soap will float around in water long enough to have a negative effect on the ecosystem before it gets into the soil to biodegrade. What I understood is that it's best to dig a hole in the ground for your waste water and fill it back up with earth when you leave. Obviously using as little soap as possible is also important. I LOVE the idea of paper soap! I'd never heared of it before and it seems so easy to make! Definately going to try that out next time I go on a camping trip

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So cool to hear that you're having such a similar soaping journey! I know, it's a bummer that the idyllic picture of showering under a waterfall will probably never be possible without wrecking the ecosystem.. From what I've read, the microbes that biodegrade soap are only found in soil and not in water, so soap will float around in water long enough to have a negative effect on the ecosystem before it gets into the soil to biodegrade. What I understood is that it's best to dig a hole in the ground for your waste water and fill it back up with earth when you leave. Obviously using as little soap as possible is also important. I LOVE the idea of paper soap! I'd never heard of it before and it seems so easy to make! Definitely going to try that out next time I go on a camping trip

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Thanks for the extra camping/showing info! I haven't made the paper soap yet, but you can buy the paper that disintegrates when it gets wet. I haven't made any yet, but I live in Houston and I don't relish camping in 100+ degree heat and humidity, so I'm waiting for some 90 degree weather (ugh, that sounds terrible too!). My plan was to dissolve some homemade, bug deterring soap in some water, get out my paintbrush and brush the soapy mixture onto the paper. Apparently it's a delicate matter, but when you get it right, it's great and doesn't take up a lot of space in your camp gear. I'm stoked.

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Thanks for the extra camping/showing info! I haven't made the paper soap yet, but you can buy the paper that disintegrates when it gets wet. I haven't made any yet, but I live in Houston and I don't relish camping in 100+ degree heat and humidity, so I'm waiting for some 90 degree weather (ugh, that sounds terrible too!). My plan was to dissolve some homemade, bug deterring soap in some water, get out my paintbrush and brush the soapy mixture onto the paper. Apparently it's a delicate matter, but when you get it right, it's great and doesn't take up a lot of space in your camp gear. I'm stoked.

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Oh my, 100F does not sound like a nice temperature for camping I'm probably not going on a camping trip soon either (just got back from a holiday).. I was thinking of trying some soaps with dual lye and if I'm going to invest in KOH, I might try to make liquid soap as well. Making paper soap is the perfect "extra push"! Otherwise I'd probably be too intimidated, but now I have a goal Let me know how yours turn out with bar soap soaked in water! It would be awesome if that works! Also.. homemade bug deterring soap? I'm curious!